Necktie knot device



1965 H. KANTER ETAL NECKTIE KNOT DEVICE Filed Dec. 7, 1964 States The present invention relates generally to improvements in articles of neckwear and it relates more particularly to an improved necktie of the pretied type which is provided with fastening means permitting its releasable attachment to a collar neckband or the like.

The proper tying of a knot in a necktie around the neck of a wearer is not only frequently time-consuming but requires a high degree of skill which is often lacking in many wearers of neckties. It has accordingly been a common practice to provide neckties with a preformed knot and fastening means for releasably attaching the pretied necktie to the collar of the shirt on the wearer thereof. A type of pretied necktie is described in US. Patents No. 2,798,226 granted July 9, 1957 and No. 2,972,750 granted February 28, 1961 to H. Kanter and although the devices disclosed therein are highly satisfactory, they posses certain drawbacks and disadvantages which limit the scope of their application. Specifically, the shape and type of knot which results from the employment of the conventional pretied knot form is fixed and cannot be modified to any appreciable extent and may thus frequently not meet the desires of the wearer.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved article of neckwear.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved preknotted or pretied necktie.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved pretied necktie form and support device which may be comfortably and conveniently employed with various collar shapes and sizes and in many wearing fashions.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved pretied necktie form and support device which permits and facilitates the modification of the shape of the knot in accordance with the wishes of the wearer.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above nature characterized by its versatility, adaptability, ruggedness, low cost and ease, convenience and comfort of use.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein;

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side view in perspective showing a pretied necktie embodying the present invention in osition on the collar of the shirt of a wearer;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the necktie knot form and support device embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view thereof, the knot form being shown by broken line in a modified shape;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view thereof; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged exploded perspective view thereof.

In a sense the present invention contemplates the provision of a support and former device for pretied neckties comprising a former member including symmetrically disposed wing elements directed rearwardly from a medial axis and having oppositely downwardly converging side edges, a fastening assembly including an abutment memher medially located at the lower part of said former, a locking arm hinged adjacent its upper end to the medial upper part of said former member and being swingable between a latch position substantially in engagement with said abutment member and rearwardly spaced a predetermined distance from said former member, and an unlatch position out of engagement with said abutment member, spring means urging said locking arm toward said latch position, and means for adjusting said predetermined distance separating the locking arm from the lower part of said former member when said locking arm is in its latch position. Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a knot former member including a symmetrical pair of wing sections directed outwardly and rearwardly from the medial axis of said former member and being hand deformable to a selfretaining shape, and fastening means located on said former member.

According to a preferred form of the present device, there is provided a support frame which includes a vertical support arm of resilient material having a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal slits formed in the upper part thereof to delineate a pair of outer legs and an inner leg, the outer legs terminating in a rearwardly facing knuckles, and the inner leg in a forwardly facing knuckle. A locking arm is disposed rearwardly of the support arm and terminates at its upper part in a cross bar which registers with the knuckles to spring them apart to be urged in turn alternatively to a depending or latch position, and to a rearwardly projecting or unlatch position. A rearwardly directed threaded post is mounted at the bottom of the support arm and a pintle provided with a tapped axial bore engages the threaded post whereby to permit the adjustment of the latch position of the locking arm. A V-shaped support member formed of a hand deformable material which substantially retains its deformed shape is secured at its apex to the lower part of the support arm at the level of the threaded post and includes upwardly diverging and rearwardly inclined support arms which are readily bendable relative to each other. A knot former includes laterally projecting wings secured to the deformable support arms and are deformable therewith, the former wings having side edges which converge downwardly to the apex of the support member and having a medial vertical recess formed in its upper part which registers with the knuckle supporting intermediate leg.

Referring now to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the pretied or preknotted tie which is illustrated as attached to the collar band 11 of a shirt 12 on a wearer W. The knot K of the tie 10 is formed on and supported and releasable attached to the neck band 11 by an improved tie or knot former and support device 14 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The device 14 comprises a knot former support or frame member 16, and a fastening or attaching assembly 17.

The former member 14 is formed of resilient pliable material advantageously of a relatively heavy sheet of a synthetic organic polymer such as polyethylene, polypropylene or the like, which is easily hand deformable and is of approximately triangular configuration with a bottom medially located apex 18 and a pair of laterally rearwardly directed wings 19 symmetric to the vertical medial axis of the former member 14. The side edges 2% of the former member converge downwardly to the apex 13 and the upper edge 21 thereof is substantially horizontal. A shallow relatively wide first recess 22 is medially formed in the upper edge 21 and a deep relatively narrow recess 23 is medially formed in the base edge of the recess 22. A pair of laterally spaced first anchoring apertures 24 are formed in the wings 19 and a second anchoring aperture 26 is located along the former medial axis between the apex 18 and the base of the recess 23.

The frame 16 is substantially V-shaped, having a bottom apex or crotch 27 and rearwardly extending upwardly diverging legs 28. It is important to note that the frame 16 is so dimensioned, and formed of a material which permits the easy deformation of the legs 28 preferably relative to each other about the vertical medial axis of the frame 16, the frame 16 retaining its deformed shape. The frame 16 may be stamped of soft brass, soft steel or other suitable advantageous metal material possessing the above properties.

The frame 16 is symmetrically located relative to and is superimposed on the rear face of the former member 14 with the apex 27 being located shortly above the apex 18 and provided with an aperture 29 which is coaxial with the aperture 26. Fastening tongues 36 are formed on and directed rearwardly from the frame legs 28 through corresponding aperture 24 and are folded over to firmly engage the former wings 19 and secure them to corresponding frame legs 28.

The attaching assembly 17 includes an upright arm 32 formed of resilient sheet metal and medially disposed along the front face of the former member 14. The bottom of the arm 32 is tapered to an apex 33 which is in alignment with the apex 27 and is provided with an aperture 34 which is coaxial with the apertures 26 and 29. A post 36 terminates at its forward end in a cylindrical shank 37 of reduced cross-section which engages the apertures 26, 29 and 34 and has its end face upset or swaged to an expanded head 38 to embrace and firmly secure the arm 32, former member 14 and frame 16 between the head 38 and the shoulder delineating the inner end of the shank 37.

The post 36 projects rearwardly from the arm 32 and is provided with a longitudinally and diametrically slit externally threaded rear section 39. A cylindrical abutment member or pintle 40 is provided with a tapped 1ongitudinal bore which engages the threaded section 39 and terminates in a rearwardly facing arcuate end face 41. Thus, the pintle 40 may be axially adjusted along the post 36 by turning the pintle 40, the split threaded section 39 retaining the pintle 44) in its adjusted position. As will be shown hereinafter, the adjustable outward spacing of pintle 40 causes the tie knot to become elevated or more horizontal, thus improving its appearance.

The upper part of the arm 32 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced vertical slits which divides the arm upper section into a pair of upwardly directed laterally spaced resilient outer legs 42 and an inner resilient leg 43 intermediate the legs 42, the leg 43 being forwardly sprung and registering with the former recess 23. The legs 42 terminate at their upper free ends in rearwardly facing knuckle defining crotch sections 44, and leg 43 terminates in a forwardly facing knuckle defining crotch section 46.

Swingably supported by the knuckles or crotch sections 44 and 46 and cooperating with the pintle 40 to define a fastening device is a locking arm 47 comprising an upper section 49 having downwardly diverging side edges and an enlarged lower end section 56, which is forwardly inclined relative to the upper section 49 and having a curved bottom edge. integrally formed with and directed forwardly from the upper section 49 is an arm 51. A short leg 52 depends from the. forward end of the arm 51 and terminates in a pintle defining rectangular-shaped flat crossbar 53, which is engaged by and between the knuckles 44 and 46. The locking arm 47 is swingable between a latch position, as shown in FIGURE 5, in which the leg section 50 is resiliently maintained in engagement with the the pintle face 41 by reason of the resilient arm 43 bearing upon the lower edge of the cross bar 53 and the knuckles 44 bearing on the upper edge thereof, and an unlatch poistion with the locking arm 47 being in a raised rearwardly directed position and releasably maintained therein by the opposite edges of the cross bar 53 registering with the bases of the knuckles 44 and 46.

In employing the improved former and support device 14 described above, a tie T, shorter than the conventional tie, is laced about the former member 14 to form a knot K in the well-known manner such as described in the above-identified Kanter patents. The tie T may, if desired, be provided with suitably spaced apertures to facilitate its knotting on the former member 14 without impeding the locking assembly.

The shape of the knot K may be modified over a wide range of configurations to suit the individual taste merely by alterning the shape of the frame 16 which is easily deformable as aforesaid, and correspondingly altering the shape of the former member 14 which is maintained by the frame 16, and the knot K. The modification of the shapes of the former member 14 and the frame 16 is advantageously effected with the knot K formed on and carried thereby. The pretied necktie is attached to the collar by opening the locking arm 47, inserting it behind the neck band and snapping it to its lock position to embrace the neck band between the pintle face 41 and the leg section 50. The angular position of the knot K may be adjusted merely by axially adjusting the pintle 40 along the post 36 as aforesaid. It is clear from the above that the present former and attaching device 14 provides a range of adjustment heretofore unavailable and that the appearance of the necktie may be easily and rapidly altered to suit almost any taste. A great advantage is that such uniformity of appearance as might disclose the pre-formed nature of the tie, is avoided.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations may be made without departing from its spirit.

What is claimed is:

1. A support and former device for pretied neckties comprising a former member including symmetrically oppositely disposed wing element directed rearwardly and laterally from a medial axis and having oppositely downward converging side edges, a fastening assembly including an abutment member medially located at the lower part of said former member, a locking arm hinged adjacent its upper end to the medial upper part of said former member and being swingable between a latch position with its lower end substantially in engagement with said abutment member and rearwardly spaced a predetermined distance from said former member and an unlatch position out of engagement with said abutment member, spring means urging said locking arm toward said latch position, and means for adjusting said predetermined distance separating the lower end of the locking arm from the lower part of said former member when said locking arm is in its latch position.

2. The device of claim 1 comprising a vertical mounting member, and a pair of coupling wings diverging upwardly from the lower part of said mounting member and projecting rearwardly therefrom, said former member wing elements being secured to respective of said coupling wings.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said coupling wings are of a manually deformable material which substantially retain their deformed shape.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said former member wing elements. are of a resilient synthetic organic resin.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said abutment member comprises a rearwardly directed pintle.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said adjusting means comprises a rearwardly directed post and said pintle is provided with a tapped axial bore engaging said threaded post.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said spring member means alternatively urges said locking arm to said latch and unlatch positions.

8. A support and former device for pretied neckties comprising a former member including symmetrically disposed wing elements directed rearwardly from a medial axis and having oppositely downwardly converging side edges, a fastening assembly including an axially adjustable pintle medially mounted at the lower part of said former member and projecting rearwardly and upwardly therefrom, a locking arm hinged adjacent its upper end to the upper part of said former member and swingable about a transverse axis between a latch and unlatch position substantially in and out of engagement respectively with the rear of said pintle, and spring means alternatively urging said locking arm to said latch and unlatch positions.

9. A support device for pretied neckties comprising a vertical mounting arm, an axially adjustable pintle located at the lower part of said mounting arm and projecting rearwardly and upwardly therefrom, a locking arm hinged at its upper part to the upper part of said mounting arm and swingable about a transverse axis between a latch position with its lower part substantially engaging the rear of said pintle, and an unlatch position above and rearward of said pintle, spring means urging said locking arm to its latch position, a pair of coupling wings diverging upwardly from the lower part of the mounting arm and projecting rearwardly therefrom, and a former member including a pair of former wings extending laterally and rearwardly from said mounting arm and secured to respective of said coupling wings and having side edges converging downwardly toward the lower part of said mounting arm.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,112,437 3/1938 Clark 2-154 2,798,226 6/1957 Kanter 2153 2,972,750 2/1961 Kanter 2153 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,864 6/ 1928 Australia.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

P. D. LAWSON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SUPPORT AND FORMER DEVICE FOR PRETIED NECKTIES COMPRISING A FORMER MEMBER INCLUDING SYMMETRICALLY OPPOSITELY DISPOSED WING ELEMENT DIRECTED REARWARDLY AND LATERALLY FROM A MEDIAL AXIS AND HAVING OPPOSITELY DOWNWARD CONVERGING SIDE EDGES, A FASTENING ASSEMBLY INCLUDING AN ABUTMENT MEMBER MEDIALLY LOCATED AT THE LOWER PART OF SAID FORMER MEMBER, A LOCKING ARM HINGED ADJACENT ITS UPPER END TO THE MEDIAL UPPER PART OF SAID FORMER MEMBER AND BEING SWINGABLE BETWEEN A LATCH POSITION WITH ITS LOWER END SUBSTANTIALLY IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ABUTMENT MEMBER AND REARWARDLY SPACED A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM SAID FORMER MEMBER AND AN UNLATCH POSITION OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ABUTMENT MEMBER, SPRING MEANS URGING SAID LOCKING ARM TOWARD SAID LATCH POSITION, AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE SEPARATING THE LOWER END OF THE LOCKING ARM FROM THE LOWER PART OF SAID FORMER MEMBER WHEN SAID LOCKING ARM IS IN ITS LATCH POSITION. 